Transporting heavy equipment

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided and includes a support structure defining recesses for receiving lifting forks and a guide slot having first and second support sections and a platform having a deck configured to stably carry a load and a ramp configured to facilitate removal of the load from the deck. The platform includes a boss, which is movable within the guide slot such that the boss registers with the first support section whereby the platform is supportively disposable in a lowered position and the second support section whereby the platform is supportively disposable in a raised position.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to transporting a load and, moreparticularly, to an apparatus and system for transporting heavycomputing equipment.

In the computing industry, certain types of computers and servers canweigh several thousand pounds. Thus, shipping and handling of thosecomputers and servers may pose significant problems. For example, in atypical case, a server may weigh around 7,500 lbs upon assembly at amanufacturing location. This server is then placed on a dolly andsupported within a packaging container for shipping. The packagingcontainer has four sides and a top and sits upon a base. The base isformed to define recesses for receiving forks of a fork lift, such thatthe packaging container and the server can be lifted and moved fromplace to place. The base is therefore at least as thick as the height ofthe recesses plus an additional amount for structural support and, assuch, the server is raised well above the ground even when the base isleft on the ground.

Upon delivery to a customer, the base is placed on the ground at thecustomer location and the four sides and the top of the packagingcontainer are removed. This leaves the server ready to be removed fromthe base but, since the server is massive, several people are requiredto assist in the operation. As a general matter, the operation requiresthat a ramp be placed next to the base and held in position by at leastone of those people so that the dolly can be rolled off the base.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus isprovided and includes a support structure defining recesses forreceiving lifting forks and a guide slot having first and second supportsections and a platform having a deck configured to stably carry a loadand a ramp configured to facilitate removal of the load from the deck.The platform includes a boss, which is movable within the guide slotsuch that the boss registers with the first support section whereby theplatform is supportively disposable in a lowered position and the secondsupport section whereby the platform is supportively disposable in araised position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus isprovided and includes a support structure defining recesses in a lowerportion thereof for receiving lifting forks and a guide slot extendingfrom the lower portion to an upper portion thereof and having first andsecond support sections associated with the lower and upper portions,respectively, and a platform having a deck configured to stably carry aload and a ramp configured to facilitate removal of the load from thedeck. The platform includes a boss, which is movable within the guideslot such that the boss registers with the first support section wherebythe platform is supportively disposable in a lowered position and thesecond support section whereby the platform is supportively disposablein a raised position.

According to another aspect of the invention, a system for transportinga load is provided and includes a support structure defining recesses ina lower portion thereof for receiving lifting forks and a guide slotextending from the lower portion to an upper portion thereof and havingfirst and second support sections associated with the lower and upperportions, respectively, a platform and a jacking device. The platformhas a deck configured to stably carry the load and a ramp configured tofacilitate removal of the load from the deck and includes a boss, whichis movable within the guide slot such that the boss registers with thefirst support section whereby the platform is supportively disposable ina lowered position and the second support section whereby the platformis supportively disposable in a raised position. The jacking deviceurges the boss to move to and from at least the first and second supportsections.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of loadingand unloading a load is provided. The method includes positioning aplatform at a lowered position relative to a support structure for theplatform and placing the load on the platform, raising the platformtoward a raised position relative to the support structure to clearrecesses defined in the support structure, inserting lifting elementsinto the recesses to lift, transport and lower the support structure,the platform and the load and removing the lifting elements from therecesses, lowering the platform toward the lowered position and removingthe load from the platform.

Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniquesof the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the inventionare described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimedinvention. For a better understanding of the invention with theadvantages and the features, refer to the description and to thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The forgoing and other features, and advantages ofthe invention are apparent from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus and system for transportinga load, which is provided with a platform in a lowered position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus and system for transportinga load, which is provided with a platform in a raised position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a jacking device of the system of FIGS. 1 and 2in accordance with embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a jacking device of the system of FIGS.1 and 2 in accordance with alternative embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a jacking device of the system of FIGS.1 and 2 in accordance with alternative embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a jacking device of the system of FIGS.1 and 2 in accordance with alternative embodiments; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a jacking device of the systemof FIGS. 1 and 2 in accordance with alternative embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an apparatus and system fortransporting a load are provided. The load can be any massive object butfor the purposes of clarity and brevity the load will be describedherein as an exemplary computing device or server having a rectangularvolumetric shape and weighing upwards of 7,500 lbs. The apparatusincludes a support structure 10 and a platform 20. The support structure10 is formed to define recesses 11 in a lower portion 12 thereof forreceiving lifting forks of a fork lift or similar lifting elements. Thesupport structure 10 is further formed to define a guide slot 13. Theguide slot 13 may be straight (see FIG. 7) or may extend along a curvefrom the lower portion 12 of the support structure 10 to an upperportion 14 of the support structure 10. The guide slot 13 has a firstsupport section 15 and a second support section 16. The first supportsection 15 is defined at a vertical section of the guide slot 13 curveand is associated with the lower portion 12 of the support structure 10.The second support section 16 is defined at a horizontal section of theguide slot 13 curve and is associated with the upper portion 14 of thesupport structure 10.

Although the guide slot 13 may be provided as a singular feature, itwill be understood that the guide slot 13 may also be provided as aplurality of guide slots 13. For purposes of clarity and brevity, thelatter case will be described herein with the plurality including fourguide slots 13 arranged at positions that would be expected to belocated outside of corners of the load.

In accordance with embodiments, the support structure 10 may include apair of opposed sidewalls 100, 101 and a lower deck 102. The sidewalls100, 101 are arranged at a distance from one another and may be disposedsubstantially in parallel. The lower deck 102 extends between andconnects the sidewalls 100, 101 together. The sidewalls 100, 101 therebyform a lane having a width that is at least as wide as the load plusadditional clearance. The sidewalls 100, 101 may be formed to define theguide slots 13 with two guide slots 13 being formed in the sidewall 100and two guide slots 13 being formed at corresponding locations in thesidewall 101, although this is certainly not necessary. The sidewalls100, 101 are also formed to define the recesses 11, with two recesses 11being formed in the sidewall 100 and two recesses 11 being formed atcorresponding locations in the sidewall 101.

The platform 20 fits in the lane formed between the sidewalls 100, 101.The platform 20 has a deck 21 that is generally disposed along asubstantial length of the lane and a ramp 22 that extends from an end ofthe deck 21. An additional ramp may be provided at the other end of thedeck 21 as well. In this case, the lower deck 102 may be formed to mimicthe angling of the additional ramp. The deck 21 is substantially flatand oriented such that the deck 21 is configured to stably carry theload, a dolly and an additional packaging container that may be providedaround the load. The ramp 22 is angled downwardly and extends from thedeck 21 and is thus configured to facilitate removal of the load fromthe deck 21.

The platform 20 further includes a boss 30 that extends from a side ofthe deck 21. The boss 30, like the guide slot 13, may be provided as asingular feature, but it will be understood that the boss 30 may also beprovided as a plurality of bosses 30. For purposes of clarity andbrevity, the latter case will be described herein with the pluralityincluding four bosses 30 arranged outside of corners of the load iscorrespondence with the placement of the four guide slots 13. With thisarrangement, the bosses 30 are each movable within the correspondingguide slot 13 such that the bosses 30 are each able to register with atleast the corresponding first support section 15 and the correspondingsecond support section 16 within the guide slots 13. When the bosses 30register with the first support sections 15, the weight of the platform20 and/or the load is supported by the local lower surfaces of the guideslots 13 at the first support sections 15 so that the platform 20 isthereby supportively disposable in a lowered position with respect tothe support structure 10. This lowered position is shown in FIG. 1. Bycontrast, when the bosses 30 register with the second support section16, the weight of the platform 20 and/or the load is supported by thelocal lower surfaces of the guide slots 13 at the second supportsections 16 so that the platform 20 is thereby supportively disposablein a raised position relative to the support structure 10. This raisedposition is shown in FIG. 2.

The straightness or curvature of each of the guide slots 13 facilitatesmovement of the bosses 30 within the guide slots 13 from the firstsupport section 15 to the second support section 16 and vice versa.However, it is to be understood that the guide slots 13 may havealternate curvatures and/or configurations. Such alternateconfigurations may include, for example, locking positions in which thebosses 30 are locked into their respective positions. From such lockedpositions, it may be necessary to employ specific mechanical liftingdevices to move the bosses 30 and the load.

In accordance with embodiments, the ramp 22 may extend toward a groundsurface with the platform 20 supportively disposable in the loweredposition. In some cases, the ramp 22 may have sufficient length tocontact the ground surface with the platform 20 supportively disposablein the lowered position. Similarly, the deck 21 may be cleared from aplane of the recesses 11 with the platform 20 supportively disposable inthe raised position. Thus, when the load is placed on the deck 21, thebosses 30 may be moved within the guide slots 13 to register with thesecond support sections 16 such that the platform 20 is raised and therecesses 11 cleared for fork lift forks to be received therein.Subsequently, during an unloading process, the bosses 30 may be movedwithin the guide slots 13 to register with the first support sections 15such that the platform 20 is lowered. With the platform 20 thus lowered,the ramp 22 may extend to the ground surface and the load can beunloaded from the deck 21 relatively easily without the need forplacement of an additional, external ramp.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the guide slots 13 may be similarlycurved such that the first support sections 15 are orientedsubstantially vertically and the second support sections 16 are orientedsubstantially horizontally with middle sections forming an arc length ofabout 90°. In this way, the bosses 30 may be permitted to move throughthe guide slots 13 in a relatively smooth manner and can enter and exitthe first and second support sections 15 and 16 easily.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the system for transporting the loadmay further include a jacking device 200. The jacking device 200 isconnectable to or attachable with at least a portion of the componentsdescribed above and is removable as well. In general, the jacking device200 is configured to urge at least one or more of the bosses 30 to moveto and from at least the first support section 15 and the second supportsection 16. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and with additionalreference to FIGS. 3-5, it is to be understood that the one or more ofthe bosses 30 may be connectable with the jacking device 200. Withreference to FIG. 6, it is to be understood that the jacking device 200need not be connected to any of the bosses 30.

In each of the embodiments, the jacking device 200 may be provided alongwith the support structure 10 and the platform 20, separately from thesecomponents but possibly included in a packaging container or, in stillfurther cases, the jacking device 200 may be previously provided to orpurchased by an operator of the support structure 10 and the platform20. Also, the jacking device 200 may be provided as a stand-alone devicewhereby a single jacking device 200 operates each of the bosses 30 or asa plurality of jacking devices 200 that operate a corresponding numberof bosses 30. For purposes of clarity and brevity, an embodiment inwhich two jacking devices 200 are employed to operate opposite cornerbosses 30 will be described herein.

For the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the jacking devices 200may each include a manual jack 210. The manual jack 210 includes a base211, which is formed to define a first receiving unit 212 and a firstpivot axis 213, a regulator 214, which is formed to define a secondreceiving unit 215 and a second pivot axis 216, and a screw 217. Thescrew 217 extends through the second receiving unit 215 and into thefirst receiving unit 212. Complementary threading is provided on anexterior of the screw 217 and an interior of the second receiving unit215 such that, as the screw 217 is rotated with respect to the regulator214, the regulator 214 is forced upwardly or downwardly, as shown inFIG. 3.

A first axle 218 is rotatably coupled to the base 211 via first pinconnection 219 such that the first axle 218 is pivotable about the firstpivot axis 213. A second axle 220 is rotatably coupled to the regulator214 via second pin connection 221 such that the second axle 220 ispivotable about the second pivot axis 216. The first axle 218 and thesecond axle 220 are coupled to one another via third pin connection 222such that the first axle 218 and the second axle 220 are pivotablerelative to one another. The third pin connection 222 may be offset fromthe second pin connection 221 with respect to a centerline of the secondaxle 220 to prevent sticking. The third pin connection 222 may beconfigured to be coupled to any one or more of the bosses 30 with thebase 211 secured within a complementary base recess 2110 (see FIGS. 1and 2), which is defined in the corresponding one of the sidewalls 100,101.

With this arrangement, as the regulator 214 is forced upwardly ordownwardly, the first and second axles 218 and 220 pivot relative to oneanother and articulate the third pin connection 222 along an arc length,as shown in FIG. 3. This arc length mimics at least a portion of thecorresponding guide slot 13. As such, with the third pin connection 222coupled to any one or more of the bosses 30, the articulation of thethird pin connection 222 causes the corresponding one or more of thebosses 30 to move within the corresponding one or more guide slots 13.

With reference to FIG. 4, one or more of the jacking devices 200 mayeach include a pneumatic or hydraulic jack 230. In these cases, thepneumatic or hydraulic jack 230 includes many similar features as themanual jack 210 except that the screw 214 is replaced with a pneumaticor hydraulic actuator 231. When activated, the pneumatic or hydraulicactuator 231 forces the regulator 214 upwardly or downwardly such thatthe pneumatic or hydraulic jack 230 operates similarly to the manualjack 210.

With reference to FIG. 5, one or more of the jacking devices 200 mayeach include a lever 240. As shown in FIG. 5, the lever 240 has anelongate handle 241 with a grippable portion. The elongate handle 241 isconnectable to a corresponding boss 30 via a connector 242 and to acorresponding one of the sidewalls 100, 101 via pivot connector 243. Theelongate handle 241 has sufficient length such that an operator can lifta substantial load by pivoting the elongate handle and the connector 242about the pivot connector 243. The lever 240 may further include alocking device that maintains the elongate handle 241 in a givenposition.

With reference to FIG. 6, the jacking device 200 may not be connected toor attachable with the bosses 30. In accordance with an embodiment, asshown in FIG. 6, the jacking device 200 may include one or more screws250 that threadably extend through at least the platform 200. Here, asthe screws 250 are rotated about their respective longitudinal axes, theplatform 200 is raised and lowered accordingly.

With reference to FIG. 7, as mentioned above, the guide slot 13 may beprovided as a straight guide slot 130. In accordance with an embodiment,as shown in FIG. 7, a threaded boss 300 is provided and is coupled tothe platform 20 in a similar manner as described above with respect tothe bosses 30. An alternative jacking device 310 is operably coupled tothe threaded boss 300. For the alternative jacking device 310, thesidewalls 100, 101 may be formed to define recesses 311 with thethreaded boss 300 being threadably engaged with threaded screw 312,which extends through washer 314 and from the recess 311 into andthrough the straight guide slot 130. The threaded screw 312 includes ahead 315 that can be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the threadedscrew 312 such that, as the threaded screw 312 is rotated, the threadedboss 300 is forced upwardly or downwardly through the straight guideslot 130.

For the guide slots 13 or the straight guide slots 130, the horizontalor lateral extent of the slotting may be relatively small relative tothe vertical extent of the slotting and the overall size of the supportstructure 10 and the platform 20. As such, the platform 20 may be raisedand lowered in a substantially vertical direction with limitedhorizontal or lateral movement. In this way, a footprint or profile ofthe available space required for the raising and lowering need not besubstantially larger than the support structure 10 and the platform 20.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method of loading andunloading a load as described above is provided. The method includespositioning the platform 20 at a lowered position relative to thesupport structure 10 and placing the load on the platform 20. The methodfurther includes raising the platform 20 toward a raised positionrelative to the support structure 10 to clear the recesses 11, insertinglifting elements into the recesses 11 to lift, transport and lower thesupport structure 10, the platform 20 and the load. In addition, themethod includes removing the lifting elements from the recesses 11,lowering the platform 20 toward the lowered position and removing theload from the platform 20.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used, specify the presence of stated features,integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one more other features, integers,steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

While the embodiments have been described, it will be understood thatthose skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make variousimprovements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claimswhich follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the properprotection for the invention first described.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a support structuredefining recesses for receiving lifting forks and a guide slot havingfirst and second support sections; and a platform having a deckconfigured to stably carry a load and a ramp configured to facilitateremoval of the load from the deck, the platform including a boss, whichis movable within the guide slot such that the boss registers with: thefirst support section whereby the platform is supportively disposable ina lowered position, and the second support section whereby the platformis supportively disposable in a raised position.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the ramp extends toward a ground surfacewith the platform supportively disposable in the lowered position. 3.The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deck is cleared from aplane of the recesses with the platform supportively disposable in theraised position.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thesupport structure comprises opposed sidewalls defining the recesses andthe guide slot.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein thesupport structure further comprises a lower deck to connect the opposedsidewalls together.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theguide slot is curved or substantially straight.
 7. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the boss is connectable with a jackingdevice configured to move the boss to and from at least the first andsecond support sections.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe jacking device comprises one of a manual jack and a pneumatic jack.9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the jacking devicecomprises a lever.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theboss is urged to move to and from at least the first and second supportsections by a jacking device.
 11. A system for transporting a load, thesystem comprising: a support structure defining recesses in a lowerportion thereof for receiving lifting forks and a guide slot extendingfrom the lower portion to an upper portion thereof and having first andsecond support sections associated with the lower and upper portions,respectively; a platform having a deck configured to stably carry theload and a ramp configured to facilitate removal of the load from thedeck, the platform including a boss, which is movable within the guideslot such that the boss registers with the first support section wherebythe platform is supportively disposable in a lowered position, and thesecond support section whereby the platform is supportively disposablein a raised position; and a jacking device to urge the boss to move toand from at least the first and second support sections.
 12. The systemaccording to claim 11, wherein the ramp extends toward a ground surfacewith the platform supportively disposable in the lowered position. 13.The system according to claim 11, wherein the deck is cleared from aplane of the recesses with the platform supportively disposable in theraised position.
 14. The system according to claim 11, wherein thesupport structure comprises opposed sidewalls defining the recesses andthe guide slot.
 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein thesupport structure further comprises a lower deck to connect the opposedsidewalls together.
 16. The system according to claim 11, wherein theguide slot is curved or substantially straight.
 17. The system accordingto claim 11, wherein the boss is connectable with the jacking device.18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the jacking devicecomprises one of a manual jack, a pneumatic jack and a lever.
 19. Amethod of loading and unloading a load, comprising: positioning aplatform at a lowered position relative to a support structure for theplatform and placing the load on the platform; raising the platformtoward a raised position relative to the support structure to clearrecesses defined in the support structure; inserting lifting elementsinto the recesses to lift, transport and lower the support structure,the platform and the load; and removing the lifting elements from therecesses, lowering the platform toward the lowered position and removingthe load from the platform.
 20. The method according to claim 19,wherein the raising and lowering of the platform comprises raising andlowering the platform in a substantially vertical direction.